


Safety In Her Arms (Which Are Also Her Hair)

by TeaWithNyarlathotep



Series: The Trial's Aftermath [2]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Etherian Traditions, F/M, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Other, Prince Hordak, Some Hordad, post-trial
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:20:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29570208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaWithNyarlathotep/pseuds/TeaWithNyarlathotep
Summary: Hordak doesn't know what to do when it comes to grand sentimental gestures. The only experience under his belt is shooting a cult leader in the back, and he's not quite sure it counts. This may be the one thing the Etherians have over him; thus, he supposes it's time to ask for some advice.
Relationships: Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)
Series: The Trial's Aftermath [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2170116
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Safety In Her Arms (Which Are Also Her Hair)

It wasn’t easy for Hordak to integrate himself into a society that didn’t want him. The inhabitants of Etheria had no reason to believe he would change despite the trial. No reason to believe his time spent cleaning and studying Beast Island was in good faith. He couldn’t blame them one bit; he detested himself for his existence even still when each morning was spent in Dryl, holding Entrapta close and drinking in her warmth.

He was in that situation currently. Her hair free from its usual style was wrapped tightly around him, a small one on his growing list of comforts. It was a misty morning in Dryl, harsh sun softened by mountain fog graced her grease-stained features. He could feel the chasm in his chest warm. He couldn’t quite put a name to this feeling. Adoration? Respect? Love? All? Certainly not none of them.

He begrudgingly pulled himself from her hold and tucked her back into the plush throws of the bed. He had a personal mission to accomplish by the week’s end. He dressed quickly. Emily assisted in hooking him into his armor as best she could. The crystal nestled gently in his place, he covered the rest of his body in a more casual dress. It had upon it the emblem of Dryl in Horde red, outlined in finely embroidered gold floss, on top of the typical Dryl lavender. It was crafted with care by Entrapta’s staff, complete with his signature leg slits. It was a bit snug if he were being honest. Not only had the armor filled him out but massive amounts and varieties of tiny meals had softened the sharp corners of his once skeletal form.

He took extra care now that he was dressed to exit the room without waking his lo… partner. His partner, yes, that was the word he meant. He’d never had one before, but he was certain all lab partners held each other tight during fear filled nights and spilled their guts with teary eyes and trembling hands to the other. Surely all lab partners held hands to keep each other sane when the unholy whispers of Beast Island clawed at their minds. It was just how science with a person you hold dear was meant to be done, as all things had their proper rituals. Hordak continued the trek through his home guided by Emily. He gave his typical morning greetings to the staff and left without further note.

Emily hunkered down outside the door, allowing Hordak to climb atop. He had hand programmed the directions to Bright Moon into her specifically for his purposes. He sat, carefully balancing himself on her head, claws gripping the gap between her head and body. as she began to run. 

He hadn’t programmed this. 

The rocky cliffs of Dryl whizzed by and slowly morphed into the splendor of the Whispering Woods. Emily showed no signs of stopping, and Hordak resigned himself to his fate. Emily leapt over fallen trees and stray rocks with the grace of a beast half her size, and jostling poor Hordak seemed to be her secondary goal aside from delivering the former Lord to Bright Moon. Perhaps his promptness in arrival could excuse his wind-whipped hair and streaking makeup.

He patted her head twice with utmost care to slow her to a stop. Some good old-fashioned walking would do him some good from this point forward. He was around 5 klicks from the towering citadel of Bright Moon, and didn’t want to draw more attention tearing in on a lime green and fuchsia blur than he already would on his own. The less he seemed like a warlord on parade, the better he felt.

He kept an even pace as he approached, watching casually as Emily, now off duty, chased after butterflies and small creatures. He felt the warmth in his chest again, only different this time. This was a warmth he felt when he scratched Imp under his chin and was graced with the, well, impish smile on his otherwise cherubic face. The same warmth when he heard word of the improvements of Adora and the other cadets in training. When he learned they had mastered how to read, how to write, how to walk, and how to talk. He cared about their combat proficiency, that much was certain, but without the fundamentals, they were useless to him.

Hordak shook the thought away, he cared in his own way and that was enough for him as he had more pressing matters at hand. The stares. He thought he had grown used to them during his time in court. The people of Bright Moon seemed to gawk at him as he made his way to the castle. On some level, he wished he could convince himself they were watching the spherical machine beside him, which scuttled with a skip in her step. Still, there was no avoiding the anxiety that swept over him as they stared daggers into him, which pierced his armor and tore into his mind. It was a harsh reminder that, in spite of all his success, some would never trust him. Beast Island was perhaps a stepping stone to gaining some of that trust, but it was merely the start of a long journey. Some would never come to like him. He supposed that was something he would simply have to adjust to.

His stomach churned even as the stares lessened. His proximity to the castle was what gave him unease. This felt, oh, what was the word Entrapta had used? _Silly_. Asking his previous adversaries for this kind of advice was foolish. They seemed polite in correspondence, yet that didn’t ease his fluttering insides. The gate loomed over him and Emily. It was time.


End file.
